WINTER ACTIVITIES in FRANCE

France is one of the world's iconic destinations for winter activities. Blessed with huge mountain ranges including the Alps and the Pyrenees, winter in France is all about getting outside and enjoying the snow. The winter ski season in France runs from around early-December to mid-April, with temperatures from Christmas to early February ranging from -10° C to +4° C. January and February tend to be the coldest months with temperatures rising in March and April. The Chamonix Valley, the Portes du Soleil and the Tarentaise offer vast ski domains including Espace Killy, Paradiski and the 3 Valleys, with many hundreds of kilometres of ski pistes. Regions such as the Queyras, the Ecrins and Serre Chevalier in the Southern Alps are renowned for their snowsure winters and bright sunshine. Whatever activity you're into you'll find a destination in France to suit, whether that's skiing, snowboarding, heli-skiing, ski-touring, snowshoeing, or even ice climbing.

Whether it is mountain ice or frozen waterfalls, the ice climbing in the French Alps is superb. Physical and exhilarating but also accessible, the sense of satisfaction you get from scaling an ice wall is hard to beat.

Speedriding mixes paragliding with skiing in an adrenaline-charged cocktail. It’s the new winter extreme sport that you just have to try. Defy gravity, glide meters above the snow, then land in pristine powder fields. High octane thrills!

Discover the wild side of the French Alps with snowshoeing. Make your own tracks and explore pristine wildernesses in a winter wonderland far from the hustle and bustle of the resort.

FRANCE'S BEST WINTER ACTIVITY DESTINATIONS

France is a lucky country - it has 2 huge mountain ranges, the French Alps and the Pyrenees and over 400 ski resorts. That means that whatever winter sport you're into, France has a choice of resorts for you. Here's a selection of our favourite places in France for an active winter holiday.